I have known Bob for 17 years and I have the utmost respect for him as a coach and a leader of young men. I have seen him first hand work with young men in trouble and struggling with their life and he worked with them and turned them around in the right direction. I know other coaches who have done the same thing. He truly uses the practice field and the weight room as a classroom creating men from young boys. I believe you will look long and hard to find another football coach who truly represents not only football and its values but also family values as well more than he does

I am interested as well in the nominating process. I noticed that my high school football coach (also my father) has not been inducted and may be very deserving of this honor. He passed away at age 61 in 1985, and I certainly am interested in perserving his legacy as one of the most successful high school football coaches in Ohio High School history. Here are his credentials:

I would like to nominate Coach Jim Rockwell of New Lexington High School from the late 1950’s to the 1970’s. Coach Rockwell won numerous Muskingum Valley League titles as well as two state championship titles during his tenure of forming young men to continue in life as responsible human beings. I played for Coach Rockwell as well as Bill Hess at Ohio University and Abe Bryan from Steubenville in the 1970 Ohio All Star Game in Canton and would rank Coach Rockwell as a better coach than either of them.

Coach Jim Rockwell, of NewLexington. His credentials say it all. An .827 winning percentage and still not in just doesn’t seem right.
Not only was he a great coach, but also a great mentor to the young men he coached.
After his retirement I became his neighbor. I found out even more what a great individual he was.

I also believe that Coach Rockwell should be in the Ohio High School Hall of Fame. I was lucky enough to play for him at New Lexington and then he got me into college after college I came back and coached with him until he retired.

I my mind there was never a better football coach or human being than Coach Rockwell.